Having a safe for your business may be one of the most important things that you can do to protect valuable information. All business owners understand the importance of protecting their business. Many businesses have an on-premise office that stores their financial paperwork, licenses, and important records. But in the event of theft or fire, what would happen to all of this valuable (and potentially irreplaceable) material?

This question is what prompts business owners to invest in a safe. Manufacturers of safes have been catering to these needs for years, and in doing so, safes have evolved. Today’s safes use innovative technology to provide the most secure method possible to protect important documents, files and of course, cash.

Take the company Gardall for example. This is a well known safe company that has been in business for decades. Gardall has evolved, like many manufacturers to keep up with the demand for secure, high quality and technologically advanced products that business owners (and homeowners) demand.

This demand is for more than just something heavy with a tricky lock. Gardall has entire lines of safes for every purpose you can imagine. Fire safes are big business because fire is one of the things that business owners can only prepare for, but cannot totally prevent. If a fire were to destroy your physical business, it could be rebuilt with the help of insurance, time and dedication.

But if a fire were to destroy your records and other important files, you could go out of business completely. Companies like Gardall make fire-rated safes that could save this information so that you can rebuild. New market items like media safes are in high demand for businesses because they allow a place to store back-up files, important documents and valuables and keep them protected from fire and theft.

In this way, Gardall and other manufacturers are helping businesses to be more proactive in securing their valuables. If you have a media safe on premise, you are more likely to create backup files knowing you have a place to keep them. This helps to ensure business for Gardall as well as provide a very valuable product for companies like restaurants, retail shops, and any business that needs to protect irreplaceable documents.

For businesses that carry lots of cash, like restaurants and bars, Gardall provides deposit safes. These safes can have features like storage for valuables and fire and theft protection, with the added benefit of a depository slot to keep cash until it is ready to be deposited. Electronic locks and features that protect against sledgehammer, crowbar, and other attacks add even more value to these safes.

Another way safe manufacturers are keeping up is with safes that are hidden or immovable. Gardall makes safes that are heavy enough or bolted to the floor preventing the entire safe from being taken. There are also safes that can be installed in the floor and hidden from view.

All of these innovations help to keep businesses secure in the event of a break-in or fire that may otherwise devastate a business.

A sad reality is that Alzheimer’s exists. For many it is a harsh reality that sets in unexpected and many families must adapt. Some of that adaption involves family safety, especially for families of gun owners. Studies have shown that when the disease affects a loved one, the family reacts with finding a solution and comfort prior to thinking about the safety of the family member.

The following are 5 safety measures you can take:

1. Correct hazards that could cause tripping and falling: cluttered areas, extension cords, throw rugs, slippery floors, and uneven surfaces.
2. Lower the temperature on water heaters and insulate any exposed hot-water pipes. Block off radiators with furniture or a gate.
3. Keep cleaning supplies, insecticides, gasoline, paint, solvents, and medicines out of reach or stored in cabinets with childproof latches. Get rid of poisonous houseplants, and put small items (pins, buttons, etc.) out of reach.
4. Hide the stove knobs so the person can’t turn on the burners. If you have an electric stove, install a switch that inactivates the burners, or switch off the stove at the fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have a gas stove, ask the local gas company for suggestions on how to disable it.
5. 5. Put your guns and hunting knives in a safe. You can still have access to your firearms with a simple push button safe. But the peace of mind that your loved ones cannot handle the weapon is a must.

We hope this post helps you think about safety first with a terrible disease that we hope will one day be cured.

We sat down with Mary from V-Line Industries to discuss the products that V-Line offers and the most frequently asked questions about V-Line products.

The Closet Vault is a very popular case among AuthoritySafes.com customers. What accessories do you think are needed to best maximize the interior space of the case?

Mary: The Pegboard Door Panel gives extra storage space on the door; hand guns can be hung on the Pistol Racks, and spaced around long guns or shelves inside the Vault. The Pegboard is a steel panel with the same hole pattern as standard pegboard so you can buy additional hooks at the hardware store to hang small items, such as jewelry.

Are all of the V-Line Cases rated by the California Department of Justice for approved Fire Arm Safety?

Mary: All except the Shotgun, Rifle and Closet Vault, and Narcotic Security Box. The Shotgun Rifle and Closet Vault are still legal to sell in California under the exception law for long gun storage.

What type of lock is on the Narcotics Security Box?

Mary: A Kaba Mas Unicon CL-20 Lock with a Key override is featured on the Narcotics Security Box. This is an electronic lock powered by a single “CR2” lithium battery. The key override is a tubular lock which can be order key’ed alike or different for quantity orders. For additional information on the CL-20 lock’s unique features visit

http://www.kaba-mas.com/pdf/brochures/Unicon_CL20_Web.pdf

Can you order the Unicon CL Series Software to be used with other safes? If so, what requirements does that safe have to have to be able to use the software?

Mary: The Unicon CL-20 lock could be used with other safes, and V-Line is looking into offering it on additional models, however at this time it is only available on the Narcotics Security Box. The Software program is installed on the customer’s computer, and can be used with multiple units.

Are any of the V-Line products rated for fire protection?

Mary: At this time V-Line does not have any products that are rated for fire.

What is the largest sized gun that will fit in the Rifle Case (model 31242-SA)?

Mary: The Rifle Case was designed with the AR15 in mind, the inside dimensions are 41” x 11 ¾” x 2 ¾”

Does the bolt hardware come standard with the V-Line cases?

Mary: Only the Quick Vault and Closet Vault include installation hardware, as the other models can be installed on such a variety of surfaces it would be difficult to include all the possible hardware.

Custom logos can be printed on select V-Line cases. Which cases can customer logos be applied to, and what are the requirements for putting a logo on a case?

Mary: Custom logos can be applied to any units; the Desk Mate and Hide-Away are difficult to put a logo on because of the small size of the door. Orders of 50 or more of the same unit there is no charge for a custom logo, camera ready art work is required. Logos will be in the same standard gold tone ink, multi-color ink or custom ink colors are available but will be an additional charge.

What are the advantages to having a safe with a five button mechanical lock?

Mary: The mechanical lock is very reliable, it has been used for safe and door openings for over 50 years. There are no batteries to change or fail at an inopportune time. Especially in hot and cold climates batteries have a shorten life. There are no keys to keep track of or worry about falling into the wrong hands. The Simplex mechanical 5 button lock has 1100 possible combinations, giving a wide combination choice; buttons may be pushed singularly or two at a time. Combinations are easy to change. Most important the locks are very quick and easy to use.

Are there any questions you receive on a regular basis that would be helpful for customers to know?

Mary: Lock “problems” are to most common questions I receive:

Question: “My lock won’t lock: it opens without pushing any buttons.”
Answer: “When the combination was being changed the knob was turned left instead of right on “Step 6” which caused the code to clear and set a 0 combination. To correct go back though the instructions to change the code, at “Step 2” you will not enter any combination, (as you don’t have one). Follow Steps 3, 4, and 5, and be very careful on “Step 6” to turn the knob to the right, or clockwise.”

We hope this will help with any questions you may have about V-Line products. Special thank you to Mary providing the answers to our questions!

When you purchase a gun, buying a gun safe is one of the most important and responsible decisions you can make. But what are the best handgun safes for you?

You can narrow down your search and buy the best safe for your purposes if you first decide:

(1) how much fire protection you need
(2) what type of lock you want
(3) where your safe will go, and
(4) how thick of the walls of your safe should be.

How Much Fire Protection Should You Have?

The amount of fire protection you need for your fireproof gun safe will be determined by what you decide to keep in it.

If you only keeping guns and paper in it, a UL 350 rating will be sufficient because paper burns at 412 degrees Fahrenheit and a UL 350 is designed to keep the contents below that temperature.

However, if you plan to keep media such as CDs, DVDs, film negatives, and external hard drives in your gun safes you will want a safe with a UL 125 rating. Then internal temperature will not rise above 125 degrees for a sustainable period.

What Lock Choices Should You Consider?

Key locks are the most basic type of lock. In general handgun safes that only have a key lock should be avoided because they tend not to be as theft-proof, sturdy, or child-proof as other types of locks. You certainly don’t want children finding the key and playing with your guns. The extra cost of a better lock is well worth the expense.

Dial combination locks have been around on gun safes for more than a hundred years. Although they are superior to key lock gun safes, you can pretty much double your protection by buying a safe that has both a dial combination and a key lock.

Gun safes with digital keypads provide excellent security. Buy one with a “wrong try” lockout feature and it will keep potential thieves from trying more than a predetermined number of code combinations. And, unlike safes with dial combination locks, you can create your own code.

Where Will You Keep Your Gun Safe?

As far as fire protection is concerned, the best place to keep your safe is against the outside corner of the lowest point in your home. If you cannot put it in the basement or on the first floor you should consider having a home inspector or engineer come over to ensure that your floor will support your safe because large gun safes are heavy. As an alternative you might need to buy a smaller fireproof gun safe than you first intended.

What Wall Thickness Do You Need?

As far as protection from theft is concerned, the thickness of your safe will usually be determined by where you live. If you live in a rural area thieves may not be as concerned with the amount of noise they make using tools to try to break into your safe as they would be in urban areas. So you’ll need thicker walls. In rural areas, gun safes with doors that have a minimum thickness of 3/16″ of steel will discourage most burglary attempts.

You thought you were having a premonition while eating dinner at your favorite restaurant. You couldn’t stop thinking about your hidden wall safe. It kept popping up in your mind, beginning with savoring your appetizer and through enjoying the last delicious morsel of your desert.

And now you and your family arrive home and you see your door is ajar.

You cautiously slip into your home. You’re upset and nervous but you have to see what’s going on. Your fireproof wall safe pops back into your mind.

Everything’s in disarray. Drawers have been ripped out of your desk, your cadenza, your dresser… Pictures that were on the walls are piled up in the middle of the room. Clothing and papers are scattered all over. Even some heavy pieces of furniture have been moved.

Someone’s broken into your home and it looks like they wanted something real bad.

Your heart starts beating even faster. You begin to question yourself. Should you have all stayed at home and been there to divert the break in or is it better you were out? Your family is safe. That’s the most important thing. Dumb question.

You don’t hear any unusual sounds so you have your spouse and kids stay outside and call 911 as you cautiously go through your home, room by room.

You’re glad you didn’t do what too many people do and hide your wall safe behind a picture. What, do they think crooks don’t watch movies too?

You listened to the expert’s advice. Now you’ll really see how good their advice was.

You come to the camouflaged panel you had installed. That’s what they recommended as the best place to put a hidden wall safe.

It was an easy installation because most wall safes come equipped with a flange. And you had the panel painted to look exactly like the other walls in the room.

You’re sure the thieves are gone, so you slide it over. But what’s that noise?

You laugh as you make a note in your mind to oil the bearings the camouflaged panel slides on.

It looks like your wall safes not been tampered with. You press the keypad and open in, just in case.

Your valuables are still there. You breathe a sigh of relief because your hidden wall safe is intact. It’s good that you bought it and had it professionally installed.

And it makes economic sense.

Now you don’t have to pay the monthly rental on a bank’s safety deposit box. Your fireproof wall safe cost only about what one year’s safety deposit box rental would run. And with the advancements in technology and some creativity, you now have a hidden wall safe that’s the next best thing to keeping your valuables in a huge bank vault.

You’re also happy because you bought a fireproof wall safe and now you can keep important papers, receipts, money, as well as your jewelry in it. They’re available when you want them. No need to trudge down to the bank anymore. And, because it is well hidden and would be almost impossible to break into, you can relax a little bit more because your family’s finances are safe and sound.

If you buy your wall safe online there are some things you’ll want to consider. One of the most important is can you actually speak to a real, live person to get the information you need and the service you deserve?

Authority Safes has a large selection of wall safes in every price range. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff are easy to reach by a toll free phone call or chat during business hours Monday through Friday.